Hollow Worlds: Son of the Dark Knight
by Legendary Wordmasters
Summary: Vergil wakes up to find himself in the presence of an unknown entity, who tasks him with returning to the world and righting that which has occurred in his absence. He comes to suspect that things are not what they seem at last.
1. Prologue

From the shards of tattered dreams I rose, unwilling, tossed upon tides of pain that ebbed and flowed and left me, sneering awake, and more revoltingly, alive. The descent had destroyed me and yet I had lived, hurtling back from the precipice of annihilation. It was there he found me:

"It is you... The one that shall restore the order. Tell me, will you serve as the shepherd of man[1] or rule as the king of hell?"

His voice seeped through his gnarled teeth like steam from the hottest geyser.

"Where am I?"

"You are in the Null, a place that borders on the world of man and the world of demons, a state of limbo if you will. Consider it…the antechamber for the damned"

"I am not damned!"

"Of course not, my liege. But you have been tasked with one final endeavor that shall determine your fate..."

The shadowy figure whirled its boney fingers around a dark mist that formed a portal of sorts through which one can see into other worlds. The images were at first dark a blurry but subtly became clear. Through the mist shone a young man; his hair as pale as the moon, his eyes as blue as the ocean. His right arm bore the Mark of the Beast[2] and in his hand was a blade. A blade forged with the ability to cut through the impenetrable darkness with the stinging shine of blinding light. Before him fell the stinking hordes of Hell's armies as the deadly katana swirled about in a dance macabre.

My heart almost burst through my chest.

"YAMATO!"

"Yes, yes...remember!"

"How long have I been in this place?"

"Time has no meaning here. Nevertheless, in the time of mortals, it has been over a decade"

"What must I do to leave this place?"

"Would it that I knew, my liege…As I said, there is still a task which you must complete. Only then will your fate be decided and your true destiny revealed to you. So I ask you again, will you serve as the Shepherd of Man[3] or rule as he King of Hell?"

Images of a broken past, and failed dreams splintered my mind. Anger, Rage, Agony, all coursed through my veins.

"Send me back!"

_Woe to thee, for thine is the Kingdom!_

A distinct portrait of satisfaction seemed to grow up the countenance of the shadowy figure, the pale blue eyes framing the strange, intricate symbol on his brow. Similar to what he had just done, the figure twisted its spindly fingers about, creating a whirling strand of black smoke around my body. I could feel my bones rattle as a horrid vibration shot through my arms and legs. Before I was belted into the unknown, he spoke once again.

"As you wish, Lord Vergil"

------------

The wind lay still. The velvet cloth of the vanilla sky lurked above the shadowy visage of an ancient city. The smell of aging marble stonework and ocean whiffed through the atmosphere. It took a moment but all my senses slowly came back to me. The mist from the sea chilled my skin and activated the rest of my nerves. I lifted my head and took a breath. It was exhilarating, like coming up for air. All these subtleties; they all felt so familiar, like from a life long since passed.....my life.....

A noise in the shadows. My ears perked up and my fist tightened. Another sharp noise, quick movements. _Ambush..._ Instinct led me to reach for the handle of my blade. _Damnit...no weapon_. As I finished the thought, they came from the darkness, at least a dozen. Slimy teeth, and terrible claws accented their contorted bodies, armored with rusty chain-mail.

I backed away slowly, preparing for the skirmish, when I bumped into the smooth stone of a statue. It portrayed a demonic Knight adorned with a horned helm and decorated with gold plates. A prestigious cloak flowed down his back and raised high in his right hand was a dark blade, glinting in the light of the torches. A dark knight of pride indeed. _Father...._

Without thinking I leapt atop the statue and broke away the large blade. The fiends below commenced their attack, not recognizing the futility of such actions. I stole one look at the blade then looked into the eyes of my assailants with a smirk.

"It has been far too long…"

* * *

[1] Poimandres

[2] Rev. 13:17-18

[3] Anthropos QDMVN


	2. Chapter 1: Lazy Sundae

**Chapter 1 **_**Lazy Sundae**_

The grin on his face must have been seen thousands of times by the demons that had fallen before him.

"I know you're getting a kick out of this, but could you please…."

The moon shines brightly in the night sky. The sounds of squealing brakes and restless residents are heard off in the distance. The skyscrapers in the distance create a beautiful silhouette of the city. Their lights make for a sufficient replacement of the absent stars.[1]

"DANTE! I'm not playing around! Get this bastard off of me!"

Strange grunting can be heard as a headless demon lay on top of Trish, pinning her to the cold cement.

"Slow down babe, I kinda' like that look on you." Dante wipes the bit of hot fudge and ice cream from the corner of his mouth, relishing Trish's plight.

"DANTE!"

"Okay, okay..." Dante flicks his banana-shaped bowl in the air and it shatters to pieces as it hits the ground, "...done."[2] He shoves the demon off of Trish with his foot and pumps three more rounds of Ebony and Ivory in its body for good measure. The sand from the demon's disintegrated body whirls methodically in the wind as it spins around Dante's long coat and dissipates in the air.

Trish brushes the dirt off her tight leather pants and fixes her corset. She intentionally bumps into Dante as she goes to pick up the Sparda sword. After she clips the Sparda onto her back holster she begins patting the sides of her thighs, searching for something. She turns around to see Dante holding a pair of black sunglasses in his left hand, mocking her. Trish snatches the glasses from Dante and puts them on.

"You know, you need to be more careful with your valuables." As he says this, Dante picks up the perfect amulet off the ground and hands it to Trish.

"They're getting stronger" Trish says in a dry tone.

"I know" Dante's mood changes from playful to serious.

"But it doesn't make sense, you defeated Mundus. If anything, they should be getting weaker."

"Well you know how it goes. Beat one baddy, and an even bigger and stronger one takes its place" Dante looked up into the moonlight and closed his eyes, allowing for one slight moment of peace as the cool wind gently grazed the side of his face. He looked down into his left palm revealing a fine scar appearing to have been aging for a couple decades. Dante's eyes show that he is reliving memories of a dreadful past. Sounds of clinging swords and rushing water can be heard faintly in Dante's thoughts.

RING! RING!

Trish pulls a cell phone from her back pocket and puts it to her ear.

"It's for you." She hands it to Dante.

The voice on the phone is choppy at first and then becomes clear. "Dante!! How ya doin'? Hello? Ya there?"

Dante loses his serious façade and then smiles, "ENZO! You fat bastard, where ya been for the past 3 months?"

"I got a wife and kids, man! I already got the missus breathing down my neck every second, so don't you do it too!"

"Ha ha, whatever dude. You got some good news for me?"

"Good news? Hell Yeah. Listen bro, I've got the job for you."

"The job? Damnit ENZO! I told you no monkey business the next time. Call it off, I'm not doing it"

"No, no. I got _the_ job. The one you been looking for. You know…"

"Pssh, yeah right. Ya know, you're no good at telling lies"

"Seriously man, I got someone here at the club...says she knows you...says you owe her some money…"

Dante tosses the phone at Trish and contemplates Enzo's offer. After a few minutes, he gets up and heads down the hill to the main road, where a sleek, black and red,customized Harley Davidson classic is sitting, moonlight reflecting off its metallic exterior. Dante hops on the bike and revs up the engine.

He looks up at Trish as she stands on the rocky offshoot with one hand on her hip. Even through her dark sunglasses, Dante can see the stern look on her face. It still amazes him how much she reminds him of his mother.

"You comin'?"

Trish hesitates for a second then makes her way down to the road, and hops on a sleek, bright red Kawasaki motor bike, right next to Dante.

"Where are we going?"

Dante waits for a few seconds before he answers, "I have to see a Lady about a gun." Just as he gets the last word out, Dante takes off like a rocket, leaving a cloud of black smoke behind.

Trish begins to rev up her bike and lets out a sigh, "Hmm." She takes off, also leaving a cloud of smoke and dust in her wake. The cell phone she was holding flies in the air and lands on the asphalt, apparently still on.

"Hello, hello, Dante, ya there? Where'd you go?"

* * *

[1] Pinholes of light in the veil of darkness, to see beyond the crystalline spheres to the Empyrean. Every man and every woman is a star.

[2] See: Ibn-Amir, Musa. "Devil's Sundae: An Inquiry into the Origins and Meanings of a Dessert." Hypnandros Publications, 2009. –Ed.


	3. Chapter 2: It Begins

**Chapter 2 **_**It Begins**_

Dead and dying demons lay everywhere. Those that were left alive cowered in fear – all but one.

A towering behemoth of rock and flame stood in my path, prepared for attack. What remained of the lesser demons slunk back, acquiescing this final showdown to their obvious superior.

Although this particular species of demon was much stronger than the usual whelps—sometimes I wondered if they realized the futility of their pathetic existences— it was still vastly inferior to myself. I had seen several of these beings in the Demon World, all but forgotten remnants of a time even before Mundus. They resembled the Nobodies in the sense that they were composite beings, but they retained their presence of mind and more coherent amalgamation. As a result, they could move with more precision and deadliness than their lesser counterparts. _And their armor_...

They were more resilient, more persistent than I remembered. Another unique characteristic of this species of demon was that it was xenomimetic, being able to adapt its form to the environment around it. It was apparent that this particular specimen had come from somewhere in the Northern Regency, full of jagged fissures that spouted, quaintly, fire and brimstone. Something was strange about this one though, it had not adapted to the surroundings of the island; it seemed that it had bonded with its physical medium to a much greater extent than was normal. Surely, this could not have been the result of mere evolution because it was precisely this adaptive form that had allowed its species to survive for so long. Though I may have been incapacitated for over a decade, these lowly scum could not have grown so much in strength. _No._ There was something else; something was driving them forward, fueling their blood-lust. _But no matter_. _They all shall die_.

As the behemoth prepared its assault, two grotesque arms burst from its torso, with two legs sprouting from its back. This confirmed my suspicions, this demon was a phagomorph. This fiend ingested the very limbs of its victims and used them to augment its own form and power. This ability was very rare in the Demon World, due to the way that demons gained their sustenance, and it was considered grotesque even by the filth of the Pit. I mused at the strange hypocrisy of such a thing.

Just then, the beast snarled and launched itself at me, its sharp, pointed claws preparing for a fatal pounce. In addition to reptilian and frozen limbs, it was apparent that this beast had taken several humans as a meal, something that demons would find even more nauseating. Even despite my recent revelations and the demon's adaptations, my blood remained calm and my mind unperturbed. The demon seemed to move in slow motion as it approached—a sensation that was not uncommon in my experience—and I almost pitied it for the misfortune of having me as its opponent. _So slow...so helpless. _

"_Die!"_

This sword was no Yamato, but it did not prove too cumbersome for such a lumbering ogre. Before the beast even hit the ground, its arms and legs were severed. As the smoke from its fall faded, the trunk of the demon's body thrashed pathetically around on the ground, all of its appendages lay feet away from him, writhing in a similar fashion.

To my surprise, this battered fiend spoke. "Y-You…what are you?" His voice was raspy and hollow, indicating his imminent death. As it uttered its last words, the flames in its body began to smoke and turn to ash. Its rock hard exoskeleton was now nothing but an empty sarcophagus.

The surrounding demons stood silently as they watched the severed arms and legs of the beast disintegrate. Through all this sudden chaos, I stood poised with the counterfeit blade at my side, observing my surroundings. _Amazing...how this ancient place now resembles Mundus' Hell itself._

The buildings leading to the courtyard were rundown and broken. Signs of a recent fire painted its walls. Some of the dwellings were completely flattened to dust, others still bucking and crumbling on their foundations. Dried blood colored the red brick street. No bodies remained. All life was absent from this place. The courtyard had apparently once housed an elegant fountain; it was now dry and rust-covered. The once-vibrant rose bushes that lined the fountain's exterior were now dull and brittle, rotting away. Emptiness alone, it seemed, now resided here.

As I investigated the surroundings, the city was silenced once more, but it was not a tranquil silence. It was an eerie silence, the calm before a storm. Suddenly, thunderous rumblings could be heard as if a thousand drums were beating in cacophony. From the shadows formed more demonic creatures; some came from above, others burst out of the ground, each just as imposing as the other, all branded with a flaming symbol upon their head.

They hissed and growled to intimidate their prey—ostensibly referring to myself. One of them spoke, "You cannot win, you will not leave this place" Then all of the demons began to speak in unison, repeating what the first one had said over and over.

The battle was short. Determined to reclaim my true blade and find answers, I had quickly slain the hindrances one by one. Though I had lain dormant for an eternity, my arts continued to come back to me; all of my training had conditioned every fiber of my being to move of its own accord with lethal efficiency. I had moved swiftly through the masses in a deadly rhythm.

Before I executed the last demon, it let out one more utterance which had given me a jolt, "He lives! He has returned to the darkness...Sparda has come back to us..."

My mind surged with an unexpected flood of emotion, and without thinking, I began to stab the demon repeatedly in rage until all that was left was mangled pulp of flesh on the ground. I don't know what overcame me at that moment, but I did not want to experience it again. I did not dwell on it. If my father had indeed returned, I would deal with him later, after Yamato.

I looked into the horizon and saw a castle. With no other choice, I marched forward. I needed to find answers. _My arm must be returned to me._


	4. Chapter 3: A Miss Fortune

**Chapter 3 ****_A_ _Miss Fortune_**

The engine of Dante's Harley was left running as he and Trish entered the Love Shack, Enzo's new, strictly music and drinks club/restaurant. The club itself stuck out like a sore thumb in the farthest corner of the city, surrounded by nothing but dark alleys and abandoned buildings. The once brick red walls of the neighboring vacant buildings were now a dull brown covered in gang insignias, cult symbols, mold, and dried blood and urine, affected by years of vandalism, rainwater and decay. Resembling its otherworldly counterparts, the city was a depressing shell of existence. Not only was almost every area in the city rundown and in disrepair, its dark alleys and streets regularly bore witness to all kinds of violence, crime, and evil; it was a mirror image of what it tried not be so many years ago.

The Love Shack on the other hand was a sign of life and freedom. Its bright lights and inviting music created that familiar feeling of home for most. Almost everyone in the city knew of Enzo's club and almost everyone appreciated it. It was a symbol of liberation and an example of what the world could be like. No crime or violence would occur in Enzo's club, not anymore. He ran his operation clean and straight down the middle. Many of the regular customers looked up to Enzo as a father figure, strange as it may have seemed to those who knew him well. No one would dare mess with Enzo or his club, if not out of respect, then out of fear of his de facto bodyguard: the infamous Dante. The Love Shack was a beacon of light, almost too good to be true. And like most lights, it would eventually burn out…….

"Where is he?" Dante speaks to one of the regulars at the club. They knew right off the bat he was talking about Enzo.

"He's upstairs entertaining a lady friend. He said he'll be down in a few minutes"

"Hmm," Dante was never one for patience. He passes the guy and headed upstairs, Trish not far behind.

"Enzo…knock, knock" Dante slides open the Japanese style door to see Enzo sitting in a black leather recliner, laughing with a woman who had her back to Dante and Trish.

"HA HA!!! Really?? He said what?........Oh, Dante!…" Enzo said, trying to inform the woman of his arrival.

Silence sweeps the room as the woman slowly turned her head towards Dante, her dark brown hair barely grazing the top of her shoulders. It was Lady.

"Hi there, Dante. It's been a while." Her words towards Dante were actually warm and comforting, and didn't give him cause to cringe in shame or annoyance as he had countless times before.

Dante glares incredulously at Lady without saying a word, unable to hide his very subtly reddening cheeks surrounding the smirk on his face. It had been about two years since he had last seen Lady.

Her dark brown hair was longer and flowed nicely as she moved. It was proportioned well to her more mature and attractive face. If it were not for her mysterious blue and red eyes, Dante might not have recognized her. She wore a black cherry colored button down blouse with an intricate blue pattern on the back of it. The blouse was tied in a knot, nicely outlining the curves of her now voluptuous bosom. Her black polyester army style hip huggers fit snuggly around her athletically sculpted legs leading down to a pair of solid black leather diesel boots. Around her blouse and hip huggers of course, were a series of grenades, two pistols, two submachine guns, and some land mines all strapped in a brown holster. On the bed, behind her lay a huge rocket launcher equipped with a blade on its front end.

"Are you gonna say something or are you just gonna stare?" Lady says jokingly. Trish reaches up and closed Dante's mouth with a roll of her eyes.

Dante quickly snaps out of his short trance and goes back to his nonchalant, smart-aleck demeanor, "So, uh, what brings you to town?"

"Well…..the restaurants in my town suck and I heard this place served some good sushi" Lady says this trying to mock the playfulness in Dante. Dante looks at her as if to say, "Nice try"

"But seriously, I have something important I need to show you." She approaches Dante and looks to the right of him, seeing Trish who, sunglassless, stares her dead in her eyes. "Hello, Trish."

"Lady," Trish replies with more than a hint of iciness.

"Ah-em," Enzo tries to be as unobtrusive as possible. "Well, I'll just leave you guys to chat, I'm gonna go mingle with my customers." Enzo squeezes between the three of them and heads downstairs, still talking, "Try not to dirty up the place, the maid just cleaned it."

Lady resumes her conversation with Dante, "Listen, the demons are starting to get a lot stronger for some reason"

"Yeah, we've noticed."

"Yeah, but there's another thing" Lady leads Dante and Trish into a back room where a squirming demon lay on the wooden floor, its arms and what's left of its legs shackled tightly in chains, it's mouth gagged with an inactive grenade.

"What, did you decide to keep one as a house pet?" Dante tries to lighten the mood as he senses he is about to be hit with a dose of harsh reality.

"Notice how it doesn't dissolve when its primary limbs are severed. It instead leaks an endless amount of blood" As Lady says this Dante lifts his right boot off the ground, allowing a layer of thick dark blood to run from it.

"Ok, so they aren't made of sand anymore. It's really nothing new to me, I've encountered other demons who have given me bigger surprises before"

"But that's not all, look at this" Lady turns the demon on its side to reveal a strange symbol on its back. The symbol resembled some kind of tribal marking and it glowed in a dark orange flame.

"What do you make of it?" Dante asked in a less than curious tone.

"I don't know, but for the past couple of days this symbol has been on almost every demon I've killed, and their bodies seem to be more resilient than ever, even remaining after death."

Trish seems to look at the symbol with slight familiarity and almost a dread. She had seen the symbol before and she knew what it meant. Lady continues with the rest of her interesting findings.

"And here's one more thing," Lady takes the grenade out of the mouth of the demon and its red pupiled eyes peer into the eyes of the three demon hunters. "Talk!" Lady firmly says to the demon, who does not comply but instead begins to laugh. "TALK!" Lady kicks the demon hard but it continues laughing hysterically. "Talk DAMNIT!!"

The demon's laughter continues for a few seconds then begins to die down as it prepares to speak, "…..he….he lives….HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAA……he…..he has come back….HAAHAHAAHAAAA…..born from darkness…return to darkness….HAAHAAHAAAAA……he has come back.."

"What are you blabbin' about?" Dante steps into the conversation looking the demon right in its face.

The demon responds with more laughter and begins to speak again, "He….he has come back…..he will consume this world……he lives…..HAHAHAAHAAAAAA!"

"Who has come back?"

There is a long silence as the demon breathes deeply, grinning insanely while it stares at them in puzzlement. Dante, Trish and Lady focus hard on what the demon is about to say.

"SPARDA!" The demon screams the name in an almost melodic way. The eyes of all three demon hunters widen almost simultaneously.

"SPARDA HAS COME BACK!! AAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA" The demon begins to laugh uncontrollably

Suddenly, without even thinking, Dante whips out Ivory and blasts the demon right in the face, decapitating it and ending the laughter. Seemingly out of sheer rage and anger, Dante continues to pump round after round into the corpse, turning it into lump of flaming bloody flesh. He ceases fire and stands there, the tip of Ivory a blazing fiery red. Dante had never been seen in this state before. Something had triggered him. Something had triggered the hidden fury that dwells within him, that he struggles to restrain every day.

Out of nowhere, screams could be heard coming from downstairs in the restaurant. Dante, Trish and Lady run out of the room to the top of the stairs and to their amazement, demons were now overrunning the Love Shack, bursting through the windows and coming out of the shadows. Regulars were getting impaled left and right, and some were being feasted upon by ravenous looking, animal-like demons.

"DANTE!!! Are you just gonna stand there like a chump? GET YOUR FRIKKIN ASS DOWN HERE!!" Enzo was screaming up at Dante from beneath a table along with two other regulars.

Dante looks at Trish to his left, then Lady to his right. A hammer wielding demon suddenly bursts out from Enzo's room behind the three, and is quickly sliced in half by Dante who slings Rebellion out of its holster with his foot and places it in his right hand.

"Let's go to work."

Dante leaps from the top of the stairs, executing a perfect backflip and lands right on top of a demon who is about to attack Enzo. "Get outta here, this is gonna get messy"

Enzo runs out of the club hesitantly, mumbling, "My club, I just finished paying off the lease…"

Dante then begins dual wielding Ebony and Ivory, blasting demons off of ceiling fans and tables. Lady joins him and they begin cleaning house, filling demons with numerous holes. Trish remains at the top of the stairs, her arms crossed, staring down at the insane action. The sliced in half demon behind her begins squirming attempting to join with its other half. Trish then takes out the Sparda and slashes the demon into the air, turning it to flames.

Demons continue to bombard the Love Shack, bursting now through the wooden floor. One of the animal-like demons makes its way to Lady very quickly and begins gnawing on her leg, "Ahhh!" Lady kicks the large hyena-looking demon into the air, pulls out Kalina Ann, and blast it back into a bunch of other demons as it explodes, creating a gaping hole in the side of the club.

Dante is now on top of the bar, kicking and shooting demons as they try to take his legs out. He then leaps from the bar onto a bar stool, flips it up into the air, and kicks it towards a demon, legs first, pinning it to the wall. One of the animal-like creatures leaps at Dante, who ducks and throws Rebellion straight into the air, pinning the demon to the ceiling. As Dante is about to recover his sword, more hammer wielding demons begin attacking him. He begins using some of his close range, martial arts-like moves, smashing the demons hard in their face and legs, killing some with fatal straight kicks to the throat. Dante then takes out Ebony and Ivory and begins rapidly shooting the demon impaled on his sword turning it to mince meat and releasing Rebellion from the ceiling.

Lady continues destroying demons, now using her grenades. At the end of the battle, Enzo's club now resembled a shack on an artillery range, the lights were flickering, pieces of shrapnel and plaster fell from the ceiling, and the walls smoked. Carcasses and entrails decorated the walls, floor, and ceiling. The remaining demons scurry out of the club and into the night as if called by some unknown force. Trish had joined Dante and Lady on the main floor kicking several piles of demons out of the way.

Dante breaks the silence, "So…what the hell was that all about?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you." Lady's features darken, "We have to go back."

"Go back where?"

"Fortuna."


	5. Chapter 4: For Whom the Bell Tolls

**Chapter 4 **_**For Whom the Bell Tolls…**_

As I wandered the desolate city, my memories began to slowly come back to me. I had been here before. An eternity had passed since then. I had been searching for answers then too.

My mind flashed back to those moments:

I was in a dark room reading text on my family history when an old man approached me. He seemed to know my father. Spoke of his great return one day on this very island to save us all. He seemed to fear him. I responded with youthful arrogance, asking him if he realized he was now in the presence of a God. And he rightfully came to fear me.

I don't remember much after, that but I do remember a woman…a striking sliver of white among the inky blackness of her hair...she did something to me..._Who was she..._

The faint echoes of the pristine hall reverberated off of the smooth alabaster walls of the foyer. My black boots fell upon the ground like hollow iron shells as I walked amidst the silence. My hand grazed the surface of the wall's panels, flowing over their minute imperfections. I took in all these subtle details trying to regain the definition of the world I had been thrown back into. A lull between all of these trivial skirmishes now allowed me to take it all in, to appreciate the fact that I had indeed returned. I had returned from beyond the grave; not even Death himself, it seemed, could resist my power! And yet…I wondered if it was truly my power that had preserved me from that grim fate, or whether I had been saved only because I was less entertaining in death than in life to some sick cosmic puppeteer. Puppet was a role that I had played more times than I cared to admit, and my thoughts returned briefly to the shadowy figure that had sent me back to this world. "_He plucks the strings that make us dance, finger and toe…"Isn't that what the pathetic old man used to say?_ _You are no savior, I am certain of that, so what do you gain from my return? _ I would find Yamato and deal with that shade afterward; it would give me the truth, or it would face death for itself. Soon enough, I would sever the strings once and for all, and reclaim my rightful place in this world…

My thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the timbre of tolling bells, a sound I had not heard in many decades, a familiar sound. I lifted my eyes to see the stealthy cloaked demon lumbering toward me. Its bony arms and fingers wavered at its sides as it seemed to be in pain. In its right hand was a large scythe with a blade of violet energy. It was a Hell Vanguard. I remembered it from many years ago, during my quest to raise the Tower of Fear... I recalled this demon very well; it preferred to move through dimensional pools as it attacked with deadly speed. If allowed to conduct this technique without interruption, the Hell Vanguard became very wearisome to dispatch. However, I would not allow this one to even begin. My fingers rolled over the handle of my blade as I poised for the kill.

But before I could fell the shrouded reaper, I was halted by an insane shriek and the sound of shattering glass, and from the very body of the demon exploded a far more menacing creature. It seemed to shed the body of the Hell Vanguard itself as if it were a dead husk, a chrysalis coffin of sin and death...

Without warning it lunged at me, quicker than any demon I had ever faced, almost as if it was moving outside of time. Sheer instinct spurred my body to evade. I couldn't simply dodge so I teleported away from the attack. Falling to one knee at the end of my teleport, I looked back to see the shadowy creature looking right back at me. _Impossible…_ My eyes fell down to see ethereal streams of energy, no, of my very soul flowing back into my body. I could feel my heart racing like I had been suffocated; my body now felt weak, as if I had been drained of my life force itself.

This new assailant hovered above the ground, its veils of black smoke swirling about turbulently. Oddly, it cast no shadow upon the walls or the floor. Both its forearms were impaled by the blades of deadly scythes, jutting out from the very darkness. And on its facade was cast a hollow mask that seemed to mock the very shell that had just bore it. It swayed back and forth between dimensions as it peered into me. It was an unholy scavenger, a savage, starved vulture, and my soul was to be its carrion feast.

This being had been here for a very long time, waiting for something, waiting to feed. And from the way that its demonic aura flickered and flared like a corona around the darkness, whatever had sated its hunger had long been gone. Unfortunately for it, this demon's thirst would not be slaked today. I would not be engulfed by its darkness.

The screech of shattering glass rang out once again as it lunged for me. I drew my blade quickly and raised it above my head. It spread its scythe bearing arms as it came upon me. I struck down, attempting to fell the beast in one blow. But…there was nothing, anywhere. My mind seemed to go numb in the grip of white hot frigidity as we converged. I looked down at my hands and to my dismay, the blade was nowhere to be seen…and neither was my adversary. _What kind of demon is this?_ I snapped my head about, looking in every direction for the dark fiend, but it was in vain. It was only a few moments before I realized that I was no longer inside the stainless walls of the castle. I was now in a shadowy realm, not bound by the physical laws of reality. _This isn't the human world, nor the demon world…a splinter dimension? _

A false wind whipped at my long coat as I stood there, weaponless and motionless, for what seemed like ages. Suddenly, from the abstract walls of darkness emerged the demon, its decrepit scythes seeming to salivate with murky, purple fluid dripping from their ends. Without a weapon, I had to evade. It made a quick slash at my torso, and I managed to outwit the demon by teleporting above it. But just as I thought I'd gained a moment to think of a plan of attack, it plowed at me from above, swirling its blades about with extreme prejudice. Again I teleported away, this time backwards. I wouldn't be able to keep this up for too much longer without taking the offensive. I looked down to inspect myself. _It got me..._ Though I thought myself much faster than the demon, it still managed to cut me just slightly along the shoulder, abdomen, and back. I could feel the very thin lines of blood seeping from the wounds. They were not healing as quickly as usual.

The wind in this realm picked up violently and it became increasingly more difficult to focus. It seemed this thing was inexorably linked to this very realm. As it thrived, so did its realm. While my teleportation was sluggish and clumsy here, the dark cloak of this being seemed to be the substance of the dimension itself; it was everywhere and nowhere all at once. It had gotten a taste of my soul and the feeding frenzy would soon commence, as hinted by the increasing turbulence of the gusts swirling about. I had to think of something and quickly. _Hmm_.._this demon cannot have enough power to submerge me in this realm along with itself…so how? It is not subject to physical laws…but neither is my power._

The false vanguard hovered above me in a circle, waiting for its prey to succumb to the pressure of its realm. But this "prey" had other ideas. I would not fall to a demon that lacked even the power of speech. I glared up at the creature defiantly, awaiting a betrayal of its weakness. It attacked once more, preparing to dig its claws into my soul and rip it from my body. But this time it was smashed backward against one of it own walls. It looked up at me and shrieked in pain as it dissolved around the small phantom blade that now pierced its abdomen, and slithered back into the eldritch shadows. A phalanx of azure phantom blades encircled my body; a protective and yet offensive tactic. If this realm wouldn't allow me win physically, then I would play by the rules of the ether itself.

It cried out in rage as it attacked once more, this time more wildly and less precisely than it had before. Clearly, this thing had never encountered a being such as I before. In its mind, I should have already been dead. It should have already been picking at my remains. But the battle had only just begun! I shot out three blades at once, clipping one of its arms, causing it to fall to the floor. It seemed take a deep sigh of pure anguish. And suddenly, the shadowy realm faded away and I stood once again in the grand hall, back in the material realm.

I spun my mock blade around in my right hand as I approached the fallen demon.

"You have had your last supper. Die!"

But as my blade came mere inches from its head, it teleported right into me, thrusting us both back into its realm, with the blade again dissipating between my fingers. I could hear it in the shadows, flying around me, trying to figure out how to attack, how to feed on this new-found morsel. Its realm was weakening as it weakened from lack of sustenance. I could sense its movements and anticipate its attacks, but apparently its shroud of darkness was not vulnerable. _Where is its weakness? Where—Ah! Of course…_ I formed a sphere of phantom swords around my body that spun around violently like a shredder. And as each second passed I shot out a blade not trying to hit it, but to toy with it, draw it out. I could feel its rage emanate from the unseen corners of this dimension. Its realm bent this way and that, as the winds crashed along the walls.

Then an incredible penetrating shriek belted from the darkness, shattering all of my phantom blades at once. The demon took this opportunity to make one last attack. The ground below me rippled and up from the shadowy floor it came, but this time, I made no move to evade. I had allowed the fiend to grasp me and bring me close, knowing that its vulnerability lied in its proximity. That was why physical weapons disappeared in its realm. As it dug its long claws beyond my body, into my soul, I struck, having formed a smoky phantom blade from nothing, and drove it into its mask. It howled in immense pain and fell back, as did its realm. It squirmed about on the ground trying to gather itself together but couldn't.

My mock blade now in my hands, I prepared to strike it down once and for all. But the elusive creature, fled, dissolving into the very ground, into safety. I could hear its cries throughout the hall until it faded away entirely, leaving faint trails of black smoke in its wake.

I had survived this encounter with this soul vulture but I was certain this wouldn't be the last. However, that didn't concern me as much as why it was here, in this place and not somewhere else. My senses flared. I could smell something, an odor which I had become acquainted with even as a child…_Blood, and it is close._.

As I walked the halls of the great castle, passing several studies and grand art pieces, I came before a great door that was slightly ajar. Before opening it, I clinched the mock blade in my hand.

The echoes bounced off the walls as a flung open the door, preparing for another fight but there was nothing at all. Complete silence. A pristine hall decked in gold and marble. And in the forefront was a throne. And in the throne lay a woman. Dead.

As I approached, I didn't notice any signs of a struggle. No battle had occurred here, no blades had been drawn. This was a murder. A troubling sight lay before me; I had done many callous things in my life, but none so vicious as to attack a defenseless woman. The woman was lifeless, her eyes still wide open in shock. Around her neck was a gold necklace with a ruby jewel encased in a golden winged setting. Her head slouched to the right as her long brown hair fell across her rounded abdomen. _How pitiful…_

_But there is something else…_

I carefully lifted my hand to her abdomen to move her silky brown hair. It was then I saw it. A child. No. An infant. Inside the gaping hole in the woman's abdomen lay a baby still in its caul[1]. It was stillborn; never having lived, never to be given the opportunity to die. _This is the way the world ends…with a whimper. _I sensed something in this prenate, an absurd, inexplicable kinship. I could feel it in my blood, this child was not human; its demonic power must have been responsible for preserving their bodies for so long, and for drawing the false Vanguard to their bodies, and yet I sensed something more…

It was adorned with a strangely familiar symbol upon its caul-covered forehead, and bore searing wounds, the likes of which I had never seen on Hell or Earth, which it shared with its mother. A chill crawled down my spine. The viscera of the aborted pregnancy along with the monstrous wounds filled me with disgust, and strangely, shame. I looked into the face of the woman once more. I saw the face of my past, of my mother lying dead as I failed to save her.

Waves of anger and regret washed over me, threatening to overwhelm my faculties. I used my fingers to close the accusing eyes of the woman; those eyes I dare not meet in dreams. I turned away and gazed aimlessly into the darkness. _What is this? What happened on this island? What are these memories?_ _I must find answers_. Whatever did this was like nothing I had ever encountered. It was not the common grunts that had fallen before me, nor the great devils that had tasted my true blade. No. This woman _knew_ who had killed her. And they were still out there. And, for the first time since I care to remember, I felt fear…

* * *

[1] An organic, physical manifestation of the aura, indicating great power.


	6. Chapter Huh?: What ManDreams May Come

**Chapter Huh?: _What ManDreams May Come........._  
**

My steps were hastened by my eagerness to wield my true blade once more. I could feel its presence all around me. It had been here, on this island, that much was certain. Whether it remained was yet to be seen.

I had explored most of the island, its frozen wastes which brought me a sense of comfort, its vitriolic mines, the castle, and so on. All that was left was for me to delve into the dark forest. It struck me how odd the ecology of this island seemed, and I would have thought its disparate areas totally unrelated if I had not traversed them myself. And whenever I tried to chart my progress on any kind of map, it seemed as if the time existed outside of space itself. Although I did sense demonic power at work, I felt that an even more sinister force was at work here.

-----

Before I recount my misadventures following, however, I must remark on something intriguing that I witnessed while at the castle. As I walked the pristine halls of the cold castle I noticed the fine craftsmanship that went into building its columns, and the detail which went into its marble floors. The components of its walls spoke of history, war and servitude. I was halted and surprised when I passed the grand wash chamber, however, as I saw myself reflected in the polished porcelain and gold. I stood entranced by this magnificent _mundus mundorum_.

It had been over a decade since I had seen any kind of facilities, and never in my life had the gaze of mine eyes come to rest upon one of such exquisite taste and design such as this. I at once understood the irresistible appeal, the powerful continence that could only be afforded upon that ivory throne. It was apparent to me now, why Mundus had struggled desperately to cling onto his place upon the throne, and how in the end his fate was also sealed within it.

The polished white marble of the wash basin was flawless, with each argent vein exhibiting that elusive and sought after golden ratio of the Ancients. The spigot itself was fashioned darkly glowing metal, perhaps even celestial in nature. The walls were circumscribed with a crown molding embellished with gold leaf, and in the corners, painted in the old fashion of the _trompe l'œil_, were columns of the composite Ionian and Corinthian style. The throne itself was enveloped by a _baldacchino_, but, it was not of the basilican variety, for the genius responsible for the design knew that it would have appeared garish; rather, it was made after the Bavarian style, an aesthetic which I had long missed while in exile in the Demon World. Above the _baldacchino_ itself was a great, magnificent, dome of the Celestial realms. I recognized the influence of Andreas Puteus, certainly, and of Mantegna, who died in a land that I might have called home if my life had not been spent in servitude and foolish endeavors. _Surely, no human hand could have fashioned such dark and mysterious beauty. This must be the work of demonic design technocrators, no doubt the same ones that went to work on Mallet Island………….._

I approached that sacred throne, the throne that I was destined to inherit once I had surpassed the power of my father. After all, how could he have understood the pleasures of taking it and sitting upon the seat of power, for he had always been powerful. I, however, had been cursed to grow from a weak and unbridled constitution, to restrain and train myself in stamina and decorum, and to finally search to attain true power and self-restraint of my own effort. I certainly had lapses in control, where I had to wallow in my own filth and misery, tending to the undeserved throne of that insufferable Mundus, but no more! Today, I would ascend and I would taste the furious glory and serenity of that holy seat! And then I would go on to find Yamato!!1

And so, I sat upon the throne for a while and let the power surge through me, and my aura flared, and the energy ran up and then down my body, from my head to my loins. Satisfied, I dismounted, and resolved to begin my quest anew, now refreshed and less burdened by things of the past. As I reveled in the brief rest from my travels, I looked down into the limpid pool at the _sotto in su_ reflected in it, and it appeared distorted and sullied. My own distorted reflection surprised me as well. I was not taken aback by the scars upon my face or my now pallid complexion, but rather what appeared to be multitudinous blemishes that now appeared on my flawless physiognomy. _What ho! Mayhaps this be a form of demonic glamour or some treachery of the fae-folk, alas!...................._ But then I remembered……..this was no trap, I would have sensed it. So, as my reflection began to swirl away in the oracle pool, I resumed my quest once again.

----------

As I stepped into the lush jungle, I noticed immediately the diminished visual sharpness of my surroundings. The shadows of the leaves seemed to flicker hysterically, as if the leaves above were moving in and out of existence. But this was not the strangest occurrence. Immediately upon entering the forest, I was taken aback by the glare of the sun, when only moments before, it had been the dead of night. I stepped back from whence I had come, and suddenly it was as if a curtain of darkness had been draped over the sky. I came forward, and with me, so did the blazing charioteer bring forward the light of day. I repeated this several times. _What trickery is this? A time displacement?_ I said to myself in my mind. If there were truly a Creator, he must have been a madman to design an island such as this.

In due time, I came upon the ruins of a gigantic group of what appeared to be lizards with flowers growing out of them, and I overheard a conversation they seemed to be having in a demonic tongue I had little experience with…

"Bulbasaur bulbasaur bulbasaur, bulbasaur?"

"VENUSAUR!!1!"

"Ivysaur ivysaur, _ivysaur_ ivysaur? I…vysaur!"

"VENUSAUR!!1!1"

"Bulba saur bulba bulba, BULBASAUR? Bulba saur bulbasaur?"

"Ivysaur ivy saur ivysaur, ivyivy. Ivy—saur, IVY! (SAUR)."

I was able to translate it as such:

"Hey, what are we supposed to do now that Echidna is gone and the game is over?"

"VENUSAUR!!1!"

"Dude, what the _eff_ is your problem? Damn, seriously."

"VENUSAUR!!1!1"

"Hey why does this guy keep saying 'VENUSAUR?' Doesn't he know he is a Blitz?"

"Nah, I guess not, they're pretty stupid, haha. Blitz is such a dumb name too—Hey! (Referring to the guy in blue hiding in the bushes)."

And with that, they were all about me. I began to reach for my mock blade, but as I did, it seemed a time dilation took effect. It was strange though, because it was dissimilar to both the Bangle of Time, of which I had heard rumors, and Geryon's own time dilation technique. The colors of the surrounding area were not inverted, and strangely, these lizard plants seemed to be moving at a sluggish rate as well, precluding them from having initiated the maneuver. _What is going on here? It is almost as if some being outside the island is at work here………..__1_

Not wanting to waste my time dealing with these grunts at such a slow pace, I reached into my pocket and grabbed a weapon I had stolen from the underworld just for this occasion. It was a kind of sealed vessel encased in solomonic seals on the inside, drenched in sacred blood on top and preserving white purity on the bottom. It was used by great devils to carry entire legions in their pocket, using an arcane magick similar to that involved in the creation of devil arms. And so I thrust my hand deep into my pocket, and in a flash (relatively speaking), it was on the ground before them. I had been reciting the unsealing incantation in my mind all the while: _I want to be the very best, like no one ever was…_ All I had to do was utter the solemn incantation aloud, and the battle would be over. I began to walk away.

"Holographic First Edition Charizard, I CHOOSE YOU!!1!"

Their ashes fell to the ground as their shadows flickered in and out of reality.

------

I was no weary of this island, and I sought to find and dispose of that dark and mysterious being responsible for placing me back here.

I found myself back in the main square of the Escherian city-island, and cried out aloud to the sky.

"SHOW YOURSELF! Come taste my blade, fiend!"

And then, as if appearing out of nowhere, a giant statue of my father was lying amidst the rubble of the city. If this was a trap, it was the least subtle one that I had chanced to encounter, and so I thought to myself: _Take a walk inside a giant statue of my dad? Why the hell not._

After a short trek, through the various innards of this statue, and what appeared to be a giant disco backgammon board of some sort, I arrived at the behemoth's crown. There I could feel the power of Yamato pulsing strongly, and I traced its source to a mound of quivering flesh. As I advanced, I could see that this flesh had an opening in the middle of it, and I endeavored to retrieve Yamato from within it at any cost. It appeared to be leaking some blood and effluvia, as if something has burst forth from within it, or perhaps, it had devoured something and was ingesting it. And so I at first ventured to make sure that it was not an ambush of some kind, and thus thrust my spurious blade deep and hard inside it, taking care to be as non-symbolic as possible as I did not want to unknowingly initiate whatever ritual the statue was involved in. The opening was too tight however, and so I made several attempts to thrust the blade harder, but the flesh was so thick that my blade could never find its mark. _What is this?!!?!! I have trained for years with a blade, how can my precision have devolved so much in such a short time? I have not used my skills recently, of course, but I should not lose them so easily._ And in a brief fit of anger, I empowered the blade with demonic energy, and made one final thrust. "You will not forget this devil's POWER!!1!" But alas, as soon as the tip of the blade touched the flesh, my aura was ejected through the blade, and it broke in half. To have my blade buckle before me was an occurrence which brought me great shame, and I resolved to never speak of it again. Why I recount it for you here, I do not know………

In any case, if Yamato was contained within the now gaping maw before me, I would have to go in and retrieve it myself. I steeled myself for what was to come, and I plunged headfirst inside. I cannot describe the horrors of that cavernous tissue and do them justice. It was pitch black, even the light of my own aura had no effect. And the walls were slippery with blood and some kind of mucous-like substance, similar to the ectoplasm used by lesser demons such as the Sin Eaters. I felt as I would suffocate, as if my energy was being sucked from me, and I no longer sensed Yamato within. And so, reeling and gasping, I forced my way out against the suction, and fell on the floor in a puddle of ooze. Behind me, the cavern closed with a disgusting, sucking noise, all too eager for the prey which had thus escaped it. It had seemed to me to resemble Mundus' Hell, visceral and carnal, and right then I endeavored never to approach anything like it again….

And then, I felt it. _Yamato!_ I looked up to see something which I had not seen for years. I swore to myself that if I never saw it again, it would be too soon. It was my brother, Dante. The memories came flooding back to me….

_How bout a kiss from your little brother…._

_You forced this into him?……._

_You got that right, baby….._

_Do you want to know why the spell didn't break, hmmm Vergil….._

_You need your brother to come here to break the spell…_

_This place, was our fathers home……_

_No Daddy, I don't like when you touch me like that…_

_Come on Vergil, it'll be fun to have a father-son sword fight….._

_I want to fill your dark soul with LIIIIGHT!!1!_

I could feel my blood boiling and my senses heightening. It was there. _Yamato, he has it_! He begain to speak to me:

"Heya Vergil, dude! Never thought I'd see you here, WOOHOO—umph!"

Weaponless, I had to resort to dropkicking him in the face in mid-sentence. As he fell, I fell upon him, and I reached out and reclaimed what was rightfully mine. I could feel it throbbing, longing for my touch. I had been so long since I had it in my hand. I gripped it and tugged at it; the handle was just as long and hard as I remember. Just as I was about to pull myself up, Dante reached out and placed his hand on my cheek and looked deeply into my eyes. And I looked deep into his dark, bold eyes, admiring my own savage handsomeness reflected in them. Dante held me closer, our chiseled physiques rubbing and grinding against each other as I squirmed to get free. _He seems to be hypnotized by my ravishing, manly beauty. Alas! What a cruel fate to be handsome, intelligent, powerful, and handsome! If only I looked like someone of less attractiveness, like that Daniel Southworth, double alas!!_

Suddenly, he pushed my head towards his, sending our lips on a trajectory of forbidden filial love that never should have been in the first place. I was now close enough to feel the heat of his delicate yet manly, quivering skin. And that was as far as I would go. The devil inside of me was screaming to break loose. And without a thought, it happened. A burst of terrible energy exploded from my body. In that moment, two things were confirmed for me: that my brother was a fannybandit as I had always suspected. I, uh…don't recall the other realization. _

In any case, I pushed myself off of him in a fury, slicing his hand as his hand fell from below my chiseled, and virile, abs. This seemed to bring him out of his gross incestuous trance. He spoke again:

"Woah, dude, like, what happened? Woohoo?"

I could see that in my absence, my brother had reverted to an infantile stage of development; he almost seemed more immature than when we met in the Temen-Ni-Gru all those decades ago. But, no matter, I now had my true blade, and now, nothing would stand in my way.

"Dude, where were you? There was this kid, he looked just like you, and I was like 'woah, he looks just like Vergil,' and he was like 'Who's Vergil,' and I was like 'You know…' and he was like 'No…' and I was like 'Really?' It was harsh."

"Why did you have Yamato, Dante? What did you do to it?"

"Oh, I was just holding it for you until you came back. These island dudes kind of had it, and I was like 'Hey, that's Vergil's sword' and they were like 'Who's Vergil?' and I was like 'Are you guys serious?' and they were like 'Yeah…' and I was like 'Really?' Anyway, I gave it to your son to take care of. Not sure where he is right now thou—"

I had compulsively dropkicked him in the face again, despite the fact that I had retrieved my weapon; somehow, it just felt right. "Well I'm back, biatch. Don't ever let some n00b touch my sword a gain, sucka. I'm the OG triple OG Dark Slizayer fo rizzeal, son. You best recognize."

I called upon my phantom blades to teach Dante a lesson he wouldn't soon forget. Strangely, my blades had become curved and were spinning now, like food processor blades, but as long as they hit their mark, I was unconcerned. The first few did rip through Dante's coat, and into his flesh, leaving him shirtless and glistening with blood and sweat. However, for some strange reason, the phalanx of swords, or fanblades, began to amass around me, not in a shield formation, but simply hanging in the air as if they had hit an invisible wall inches in front of me. It did not take long for me to be completely obscured by the cerulean spinning blades, and strangely, it was not a local phenomenon; the mass of phantom blades followed me wherever I went so that I looked like a massive glowing pincushion. _WTF is this? _

Enraged, I unleashed a massive explosion of demonic energy, finally dispersing the phantom blades. As the surf washed over my nude, well built, and manly, body, I found myself now lying on the beach of the island, with the statue nowhere to be seen, and my clothing having been ripped to pieces from the blades (except for my tasteful and enticing undergarments ;)). I was still covered in blood and mucous and so I dove into the ocean water to wash the filth away. I emerged moments later with the tide crashing against my perfect musculature, and the ocean spray moistening my rugged, manly skin. As I walked back onto the beach, I experienced another time dilation effect, so I knew that several enemies were nearby. I ran, now in slow motion towards my sword, as the beads of ocean water rolled down my rock-hard pecs and abs, my skin glistening in the sunlight. I swung my ashen hair back, as the water walk flung this way and that. Just as I was about to begin several deep stretches I had learned in the Demon World, I noticed that I was being watched, and I turned and came face-to-face with evil incarnate…

"Hello Vergil. I am the one who created this island, I am the one that put you here. You may call me Koba—uh, I mean, the Man in Black."

I noticed the strange symbol upon his forehead, I had seen it before, in the dark realm where I had awakened."So it was you? You were behind it all along?"

"HAHAHA, YES! I was the black smoke, the Vanguard. I am responsible for you losing your sword, and for the confusion of this island and its inhabitants!!"

"Wait…what black smoke?"

"Uh…nevermind, nothing. Anyway, yes, I'm the master of puppets, pulling your strings, twisting your mind and smashing your dreams. Blinded by me, you can't see a thing. It is the end of passion play, crumbling away, I'm you're source of self-destruction. I'm only here because you want me to be. I'm the controlling bastard, so obey your master."

"Impossible! I don't know what manner of fiend you are, but you will fall under the power of my judgment cut today!"

I attempted to perform my special technique, a judgment cut. However, instead of space displacing itself due the speed at which I sheathed and unsheathed my sword, all that happened is that the air turned blue and few slashes appeared lazily here and there. _What? What is wrong with Yamato?_

"HAHAHA! Your powers are my playthings in this world, little Vergil. They do not even know you exist in this world! And once I erase you once and for all, the Golden Ninjer Warrior will be mine! Go, attack!"

With that gesture, he sent forth a veritable menagerie of demons, although I had not seen any of them before. Lizard flowers, beetles in burlap sacs, flying sword birds, Ghost Rider gun-dogs, etc. If there was any doubt before that this being was responsible for the insanity on this island, it was clear now.

I dispatched of the lizard flowers as I had before, and used a can of Demon Raid on the beetles. As for the sword birds, I simply summoned my phantom swords and turned myself into a giant otherworldly woodchipper and made short work of them. The gun-dogs, were not so easy, since they could fire powerful projectiles, nevermind that they were their own heads. I wondered at where the replacement heads came from, and how it was possible to mate a gun and a dog in the first place, but this thinking distracted me. A dog head was heading straight for me, and I had no time to move out of the way, so I teleported.

Or rather, my mind anticipated where I would have been if my teleportation had been successful, but it was not. For some reason, I was not able to teleport anymore, except in the upwards direction, I found out later. _WTF did Dante do to my sword?_ Although I had been hit, and the dog was still gnawing on my perfect calves, I faced the enemy once again, and unleashed my fury in my mighty Yamato devil trigger. That made short work of the gun dogs, who escaped with their tails between their legs.

I myself felt differently, less powerful than usual, but no matter. I made my way straight for this Koba—uh, Man in Black, preparing an epic infinite judgment cut to his face. Just as I was about to make contact, he spoke.

"Vergil, perhaps you should look behind you. HAHAHA!"

I did so, and noticed a giant blue ghost protruding from my back. _Holy S**t WTF getitoffofme!!1!_

"You see Vergil? You have no power here. Here, I am Go—"

Frustrated and weary with my long travels and with all the trickery, I had thrown the useless piece of trash, the false Yamato, away, and dropkicked him in the face. Then, I died and turned into fairy dust…

* * *

"From the shards of tattered dreams I rose, unwilling, tossed upon tides of pain that ebbed and flowed and left me, sneering awake, and more revoltingly, alive. The descent had destroyed me and yet I had lived, hurtling back from the precipice of annihilation. It was there you found me"

"And how did that make you feel, Mr. Southworth?"

"I don't know…I don't see why I had to die at the end..as usual. Where am I?"

"You're in my office, laying on the couch. We just finished some creative retrogressive therapy, remember?"

"I am not damned!"

"Of course not, but one can always be better. Mr. Southworth, this is the real world. You can step out of character, there's no need to talk like that."

"YAMATO!"

"Oh dear, I see we will have to try a more intensive therapy…"

"How long have I been in this place?"

"Only about an hour."

"What must I do to leave this place?"

"You're not leaving before we've worked through some things in your past. You're obviously very insecure about your relationship with your father, and your own sexuality. The sword is a symbol for your virility, and your constant search for it is a search to put to rest your latent homoerotic tendencies and fear of impotence. Hmm..I want to try a new therapy. Take off your clothes."

Images of a broken past, and uncomfortable, bloody man-dreams splintered my mind. Anger, Shame, Confusion, all coursed through my veins.

"What?"

"You heard me, strip. We need to work out your intimacy issues…Daniel."

"Uh…ok. Can't we do that with our clothes on?"

"TAKE YOUR DAMN CLOTHES OFF!!1!"

"Whatever you say, Dr. Arvelo. :'("

":D"


	7. Chapter 5: A Storm is Approaching

**Chapter 5 **_A Storm is Approaching_**  
**

Angry winds howl across the night sky, causing the tumultuous ocean below to slam against the rocks of Fortuna island. The raging storm created a tempest, which only increased the the chaos of the surrounding seas.

"Ya know, you picked a helluva time for a cruise, Lady." Dante maintains his lightheartedness even as he holds on for dear life to the rail on the boat.

Lady leans calmly against the ship's tower with her arms crossed, ignoring Dante's comment."We're almost there."

Trish ignores them both. Not saying a word, she peers into the deep blue sea as the wind flings her golden hair about her face.

"Trish, you haven't said a word since we left. What is it?"

Trish hesitates as her features betray her apprehension, "The demon back at the club. If he was telling the truth...He has come back...." She pauses again as the apparent fear in her eyes increases, "The Beast"

The storm stops instantly and the rain ceases to fall. Calm rushes over the sea.

Dante raises a brow in puzzlement and Lady uncrosses her arms. They give Trish their undivided attention.

"Sparda? My father died decades ago. You know that. The demon was full of it." The disgust in Dante's voice is evident.

"No…I don't mean Sparda. The symbol branded on the demon's back….The Mark of the Beast." Trish's voice is now a low whisper as it seemed like her fear was causing her to hesitate with her explanation. It was strange for Dante see the normally headstrong and stoic partner like this, and it put him on edge. Lady listens to what Trish was saying but does not turn towards her and instead keeps an eye fixed on Fortuna castle looming above the city. Dante's gaze is fixed on Trish's face, examining her carefully. Trish does not meet his gaze.

Trish is now physically trembling as she firmly clasps the perfect amulet hanging around her neck. Dante walks over to her and grasps her arm reassuringly. Lady looks over at Dante in the midst of this compassionate gesture. He removes Trish's glasses and looks at her, "I don't know what's got you so spooked, but you know there's no devil we've faced that we couldn't handle. Go ahead, tell us what's going on."

Trish slowly regains her composure and begins to speak very slowly, "When I was created by Mundus, I remained in the Demon World for what seemed like years, learning the specifics of my mission and more importantly, learning how to use my powers. During my time there, I would hear rumors that a Being existed before the time of Mundus, even before the Underworld itself."

All the ominous rumblings and thunder had ceased as if it was trying to assure Trish's voice would be heard:

"Since I didn't know the history of Hell, I had no way of knowing if these rumors were true. I had assumed it was just grumbling of demons unhappy with Mundus' rule. But even the more ancient demons would tell stories of the end of days. They said that the Mark of the Beast indicated the beginning of this end. The end of everything, human and demon alike."

"Armageddon huh? And who is this 'Beast' guy anyway?"

"I was never able to find out what it was or if it existed at all. Mundus would become furious if it was ever mentioned. Some say it was simply a metaphor for damnation, or a great savior of the Demon World, even the embodiment of Hell itself. But what was absolutely clear is that the Mark signaled a return to chaos, something unstoppable..." Trish seems to be getting frustrated with her fear at the situation.

Dante sees this and tries to calm Trish, "If this thing has come back then he'll be getting a rude welcoming party. We already took Mundus down without breaking a sweat, and we're more powerful than ever with my father's sword. I say, bring it on!"

"You don't understand, that attitude won't help us, Dante! If what the legends say is true then we have big trouble on our hands..."

"Hmm, we'll see about that. If there's one thing I've learned from my father, it's that even legends can die..." Dante says this without the usual, cocky tone. His tone is serious and cold, mirroring his older brother Vergil from years ago. He hops off the boat and onto the dock.

Lady follows suit. "Well Trish, if this Beast does exist, I think I know where to find him," Lady looks up at Fortuna Castle, the entire island now almost seamlessly fortified by a great wall.

Trish looks at the two in confusion. "You can't be serious. Look, this isn't something I can't explain to you, but I can feel it, as a demon, something inside me is saying that this is bad news."

"This is as serious as I'll ever be. It's time we end all the chaos" Dante looks at Trish indicating in his face that she needs to get off the boat in the next few seconds or she will be left behind.

"But….if the legends are true……"

"Legends are just old fairytales for people who can't deal with what's happening right now." Dante snaps at Trish. "But you have to put things in the past where they belong. I can feel it too, you know, that sense of dread, right in the pit of my stomach."

"Aren't you at least a little worried about this?"

"The way I see it, we got two choices, A. Defeat this thing, or B. Die trying. Worrying isn't one of the options."

Trish looks at Dante with an odd sadness in her eyes. The look on her face reminded Dante of his mother right before she died. However, the look only hardened Dante in his resolve. Trish knew he was right. There was only one choice to be made. Trish hops onto the dock and takes a deep breath.

Dante grins at her, "Now that's more like it!'" Dante kicks over a wooden bucket of water as he stormed toward the wall surrounding mainland. Lady follows closely behind.

A thick gust of wind smacks Trish as she remains still contemplating the decision. When the wind clears, Trish puts on her sunglasses, and smirks, "You better be right about this, Dante" she fastens the Sparda to her back and bolts off toward Fortuna proper.

The three demon hunters fly off into the night heading towards the ominous fortification. Off into the distance the three hunters draw nearer to the beginning of their journey and their ultimate destiny. Nothing could be seen in the city anymore. There was almost complete darkness. The crimson clouds and intensely bright lightning were the only source of color. The world was born from darkness and thence would it return……


	8. Chapter 6: Through a Glass Darkly

**Announcement: ****Due to personal and professional obligations, there will be no new chapters uploaded for the next 2 or 3 weeks. We appreciate your understanding. Please feel free to check out our other story, Devils Will Cry, in the meantime.**

**~ The Author and the Editor**

* * *

**Chapter 6 **_Through a Glass Darkly_

[Illustration: img,photobucket,com/albums/v313/moseslmpg/HollowWorlds2,jpg {Change commas to periods}]*

My steps were hastened by my eagerness to wield my true blade once more. I could feel its presence all around me. It had been here, on this island, that much was certain. Whether it remained was yet to be seen.

As I walked the pristine halls of the cold castle I noticed the fine craftsmanship that went into building its columns, and the detail which went into its marble floors. The components of its walls spoke of history, war and servitude.

I was halted as I passed a grand mirror. In it I saw myself. My ashen hair loomed over my face so I slid it backwards and looked back into the mirror. Had it really been over a decade since I saw my own image? This is how I remembered myself save for the fine ridged scars that lined my profile. And my eyes, those hollow, weary eyes; it seemed as if they still peered out from the twilight of death, still trapped in the land of damned. I brooded over memories of my past life; silent echoes of a life unfinished:

_How bout a kiss from your little brother…._

_You got that right….._

_You forced him into this…._

_Do you want to know why the spell didn't break, hmmm Vergil….._

_I have to stop you, even if it means killing you…_

_Leave me and go….._

_This place, was our fathers home…_

_It'll be fun to fight with the Prince of Darkness….._

More memories came flooding back as a thick vein clearly shone upon my temple.

_You seem to be in a bad mood…._

_Might controls everything…_

_Dante, Vergil, happy birthday…_

_I need more POWER!_

I could feel my blood boiling and my senses heightening. It was there. The devil inside of me screaming to break loose. And without a thought, it happened. A burst of terrible energy exploded from my body. Maddeningly painful at first, I screamed. As my torment receded I looked once more to my visage. I had transformed. My true form as a demon, _no_, a Devil. More menacing than my human form, my eyes a fell black and my pupils a blazing indigo. For the briefest moment, I thought that I saw a glyph that flashed upon my forehead, but it must have been the pain and exhilaration... The chitinous demonic armor outlining my exterior pulsed radiant energy. I could feel my power emanating from within. It felt good. Satisfying_..._ But after a few short seconds, the light faded and I reverted back to my human shell and fell abruptly to my knees.

I grunted in frustration. _I am not yet able to control it as before..._ But from this brief experience of grandeur I could deduce a few things; though I may have gone years without practice, my trigger had apparently grown greatly in its raw power, and this sudden power increase had caused my body to be sensitive to the transformation, impeding me from holding the form for as long as I had before. I would have to resume my training to regain control, and soon, my demonic power would know no bounds. But first…_Yamato_.

These sudden revelations quelled any worries I had. It would only be a matter of time before—

A noise that had been just on the edge of my senses suddenly intensified. The sound of low growling and the continuous trill of death rattles seemed to scrape against my mind. Hollow footsteps rang off the walls of the great hall, leaving an echo that drowned out the buzzing. I came to my feet and peered around the corner to investigate. At the end of the hall, holding a large candle was a cloaked figure. Before it turned the corner, it stopped and turned its head to gaze at me. Beneath the cowl I saw nothing. And in silence, the dark figure fell out of sight. I gave chase.

The walls appeared to bend around me and the halls seemed to extend infinitely as I pursued the hooded figure around corners and through dark corridors. I ran faster and faster but gained no ground on the mysterious shade; it seemed as a phantom drifting through time itself. A cacophony of clocks' ticking and the sound of metal scraping against rock pierced my hearing as the passageway stretched into oblivion.

Suddenly, the apparition appeared before me, its head cast down behind the candle's flame. I hesitated for a moment, not out of fear, but uncertainty. I reached for my spurious blade; however, my hand did not find it. _Odd… _Weaponless, I cautiously studied the figure for any indication of a fell purpose, but it betrayed no deliberation at all. _The corrupted vanguard had been pursuing me all along. I had drawn it out, it seemed. But why did it not attack me now…_ Then, the figure lifted its head and revealing only a darkness that seemed to shimmer under the hood; the howl of a thousand deaths issued from within. Instinct, not thought, drove my body toward the figure, but to my dismay, I was met with nothing but black smoke that engulfed the hall and swallowed me whole.

I could feel myself falling but could not fathom where to; I had seen no fissures in the marble floor, and there were no visual markers to indicate my velocity. My descent was finally halted by cold steel. Picking myself up from the dust-covered floor, I examined my surroundings. I had come upon a circular room that had seemingly been abandoned for years. Large conduits and wires lined the ground, all leading to what was once, apparently, a central energy source. It now lay dormant.

Just above this room was a large, broken pane of glass, and behind that, a laboratory. As I leapt up to investigate, I could feel the faint energy of my elusive blade in every corner of the room. Scattered about were, ostensibly, empty shells of armor, and yet I could not dispel the feeling that they were observing me. I picked up one of the breast plates to inspect it. Although it had been created with the intention of mimicking the demonic, it had obviously been forged by human hands. _There is something familiar about this design..._ This armor would not have required the compliance of its wearer, or indeed, it seemed, any wearer at all; traces of its own animating energy still pulsed faintly within it. It – suddenly, my thoughts flashed to a time in my past:

I could see my younger brother, Dante, held up by his throat with my hand. I could see his face but something was not right. It was as if I was peeking through the eyes of another, as if I was seeing through a glass, darkly. [1] My vision was hazy and my thoughts were addled. I could see what I was doing but my attempts to control my own actions were hindered by the murky swamp through which my mind waded. _It was not supposed to be like this. _As I crushed him against the stone wall, I could feel an immense power but this power was not my own. As his life drained away, a peculiar necklace fell from his jacket. _Mother's amulet_...

_Dante, Vergil, Happy Birthday..._

I dropped him to the ground, my head throbbing in agonizing pain. And with a roar, I was summoned away in a burst of blue-violet fire.

As I came to, I found myself in a dark place, down on one knee, a gigantic sword planted on the ground before me. And a voice boomed from the shadows:

"_**Nelo, you have failed me...**__**.**__"_

My mind was suddenly thrust back into the present. My breathing was shallow and rapid. I gazed once more into the iridescent surface of the armor still in my hand, and cast it to the ground noisily. I could still feel the energy of Yamato, pulsing throughout the room like a subtle heartbeat. The energy felt most powerful as I neared the center of the lab, coming upon a hollow tube. It seemed to be another dormant energy source like the one on the floor below. I was compelled to lift my hand to touch it. And as I placed my hand upon it, the cry of my true blade's soul resounded from within. It felt almost as if it had been reborn in this very room.

Suddenly, the electricity flickered on and the once dark laboratory came alive with light pouring in from all angles. It was blinding at first, but I quickly regained my bearings. Following the conduits away from where Yamato had been contained, I noticed seven human-sized, cylindrical vats filled with a putrid fluid suspension. Out of sheer curiosity about their contents, I approached one of them. A thick layer of grime cast a pall over the glass, concealing whatever was inside. I used my hand, reluctantly, to wipe it away. Inside the tube was a being that looked human, floating in the viscous liquid substance, showing no signs of life. _What had they been doing in this lab? Why leave their specimens behind? Strange..._ But even more peculiar was the adolescent's appearance; it was almost like looking into a mirror, albeit decades ago. _White, ashen hair..._

I could feel my mind racing once again, this time further into my past. My memories were more like vague impressions this time around. They were bleary half-memories of my youth. I had been here, on this very island and I had met a woman. Her face I could not recall, but her hair was a deathly white pierced by slivers of soulless black and her skin had the smooth luster of dull copper. She had told me she could give me the answers to the questions that burned inside of me. I did not believe her, but I followed anyway. Although she was not of this world, back then I figured that my power was enough to overcome anything or anyone that sought to oppose me; it is hard to believe that I was once so foolish, so weak. So I followed, to take whatever she had to offer, and to deal with her once she had outlived her usefulness. What happened after that I could not remember; only nebulous images of a steel bed lined with straps, strange implements of latex and metal, and dull, throbbing pain came to my mind. _What happened to me here..._

I raised my head, coming back to reality, to see that my hand was still applied firmly to the glass of the vat. My artificial twin floated eerily in the amniotic fluid, surrounded by gangrenous offal associated with gestation, or in this case, suspended abortion. I peered into the murk, still amazed at the uncanny similarity of its facial features to my own, with the exception of a glyph-like scar upon its forehead. Then, without warning the being's eyes flashed wide open, filled with terror. The liquid in the tube seemed to come to a violent boil, as it peered right into my eyes, and even beyond them; its hollow, weary eyes stared deep into the void. As I was entranced by their empty blue, I was held motionless, unable to move a bone in my body. Suddenly, the being slammed the palm of its hand against the glass to meet mine and the entire tube shattered. But before I could even take in a gasp of air, smothering black smoke exuded from the tank and—

I awoke suddenly as if from a trance, still standing back in the hall, listlessly peering into the shimmering grand mirror. On the edge of my hearing, I imagined that I could just make out the inane chittering of what sounded like skeletal insects slowly fading and receding around me. The images and memories from the lab were still seared into my mind, none so vividly as the odd glyph upon my doppelganger's head. _I have seen it before but where? The vanguard's mask? No..._ My mind was weary, betraying me with illusions and imagined phantoms.I felt strange, as if the dream was truer than this waking reality…But I shook that feeling off. I was not sure of what had just occurred, but I had no time for metaphysical speculations. Though my mind may have betrayed me at times, my will still remained firm. I left the hall without a second thought. _The hunt continues._ _I will not be broken._

The scent of Yamato grew stronger...

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[1] 1 Corinthians 13:12

* Courtesy of Steven Ian Thornton/DexterXS at IGN DMC boards


	9. Chapter 7: Etched in Flame

**Chapter 7 **_Etched in Flame_

Dante spins his blade around from the hilt on one finger, showing off one more of his superfluous talents as the team makes their way to the city. Lady walks briskly ahead of him, Trish follows closely behind.

As they approach the town, they see a few residents peering outside of their windows furtively. They are apparently keeping watch for others who walk about nervously, carrying various foods and supplies back to their homes. They appear fearful and their clothes are ragged and dirty. As soon as they see so much of the silver of Dante's hair, they instantly drop their things, run to their houses, and bolt their doors and windows.

"Weird, huh? I know I wasn't a big hit last time we came, but I think that's a bit much," Dante comments.

"Well, you did kill that old man," Trisk remarks flatly.

"Killed an old man? What did you _do_ here, Dante?" Lady questions incredulously.

"It's not what it sounds like," Dante answers. "Still, I don't believe how ungrateful these people are...I mean, I did save the island."

"I don't think it's you that they're scared of, Dante. There is something here..." Trish replies, cautiously observing their surroundings.

Up ahead, the street is illuminated by the blue neon lights of a sign that reads "Devil Never Cry."

"I didn't know you set up a franchise on your last visit here Dante. That's very savvy of you," Lady teases as she motions to the sign.

"Hmm, I don't remember opening up shop here...but I guess I'm pretty savvy without even trying, really." Dante muses with a smirk to himself.

"You don't remember? The first rule of any business is to keep tabs on your investments. If it wasn't you who opened the shop then who—"

"Ha! Actually, I think I _know_ the kid who runs the place," Dante boasts as they come upon the shop. "He pretty much idolizes me. Yup, this kid is the president of my fan club. What can I say? Who wouldn't want to be like me? He thinks he's a badass: talks like me, dresses like me, even dyes his hair. He's a lucky guy to be able to pull it off. A little cocky for my taste though."

Both Lady and Trish roll their eyes.

Dante continues to brag. "Yeah, I had to let him know who's boss a few times though. He couldn't really finish a job either, so I had to constantly clean up after him. He kept following me around and yelling about his girlfriend. Kids these days..."

"Oh, really?" Lady interjects, "What's his name?"

"Hmm? Oh. Something like Nerdo if I recall correctly...or was it Nemo...You remember, right, Trish?" Dante replies.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Dante," Trish replies shiftily.

"Let's ask him ourselves." Lady motions for Dante to knock on the door. Dante slyly walks up and raises his hand. But before he can knock, the ground begins to tremble. The three hunters turn to see a shallow wave of flames creeping towards them. Each draw their weapons simultaneously.

The flames rise high in air and a deafening growl erupts from within. And through the flames emerges an enormous beast with the head of a tiger, the horns of a ram and a snake-like tail that whips about and hisses.[1] Down on all fours, it stands eight feet tall. It paces back and forth, glaring at the three Devil Hunters with its glowing green eyes. It lowers itself to the ground and shifts its weight to its haunches. The monster digs its hooved hind legs into the ground and begins plowing with its left leg, preparing to charge.

The compound creature storms forward and lashes out with its thick black claws. The trio diverge before impact; Dante leaps high into the air, while Trish and Lady dodge to the side. Dante raises his blade, Rebellion, high above his head and comes down hard and fast, attempting the kill the demon. However, it quickly leaps backward away from harm, leaving a trail of black and orange flames where Dante now stands.

"So you're looking to play, huh? Didn't know Fortuna had turned into a zoo."

The demon snarls at Dante's remark.

"It looks like a chimera," Lady observes, "I've never seen one in person before, but my father used to mention them. They aren't actual demons per se, but artificial combinations of regular animals using demonic energy. This should be interesting."

It rears back once more for attack but is impacted with a barrage of small missiles from the side. It snaps its head at Lady through the clearing smoke and leaps for her. She lifts her trusty missile launcher, Kalina Ann, onto her right shoulder and fires. Simultaneously, Trish shoots phosphorous streams of electric energy from her hands right into the belly of the beast.

It is knocked backwards hard but lands on its four legs, two hooved, two clawed, and gains its balance, practically unscathed by the assault. Noxious fumes pours from its nostrils as it shows its thick black fangs inside its mouth. Dante, Lady and Trish stand side-by-side, with Dante weilding Ebony and Ivory, Trish weilding Luce and Ombra, and Lady wielding submachine guns. They unleash a barrage of bullets towards the enormous quadraped, sending staccato sounds of ringing bullets and falling shells throughout the town. After a few moments, the trio cease fire. The Chimera is surrounded by crumpled and destroyed metal casings.

"Leave now...Never return!" the animalistic, barely articulate voice bellows slowly from behind the fabricated cloud of black miasma. Its green eyes shine eerily through the smoke.

"You know, Dante, chimeras shouldn't be able to talk..."

"Oh, a talking mutt. Where I have heard this one before..." Dante retorts. "Look pal, we don't have all day. I haven't eaten since morning and when I'm hungry, I get grouchy. And you wouldn't like me when I'm grouchy!"

"I will rend...flesh from bone!"

"There's something strange about this,we should be caref—"

"Well, bring it on then!"

Trish, interrupts, "Damnit, Dante! Do you always have to taunt them like that? You only make it harder for everyone else to—"

"Silence!" The Chimera howls, sending streams of black and orange flames from its nostrils, encircling the trio with a ten foot high wall of flames.

Before anyone can react, the Chimera leaps through the flaming wall at Lady who rolls way, and fires her pistol, missing with each shot at it turns to Trish and charges in a zigzag pattern. Trish launches herself over the beast, its razor sharp tail barely missing her throat. All in one motion, it continues its rampage toward Dante, leaving its feet and pouncing directly at him. Dante sidesteps, waving his red coat, and just barely avoiding the jaws of the beast.

"Ha! Olé!"

The Chimera roars, causing the surrounding flames to create a sweltering firestorm around the three hunters. Sweat beads form on the brow of Lady and Dante, while Trish seems unaffected.

"Where's your 'biggest fan' in all this?' Lady shouts at Dante. "I think now would be the perfect time to get him out here."

"Haha! He's probably laughing his ass off right now, watching us. That punk..."

The Chimera charges again, missing all three of its prey. Its horned head slams against the wall of flames, creating a tempest of fire that swirls about wildly, with large flares erupting from the wall surrounding them.

The three hunters and the Chimera dance about in the ring of fire, dodging the fiery tempest as well as the ferocious demon. The heat inside the ring grows rapidly each time the Chimera rams its walls.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," Lady says in pure anguish and fatigue. "You can quit playing around any day now, Dante."

"Alright, alright."

Suddenly, Dante unleashes his demonic form, leaps onto the cylindrical wall and begins running along it, picking up more speed with each step. After three laps, a small wind picks up around the edge of the fiery ring. The Chimera ceases its attack on the two women and focuses all its attention on Dante as the flaming typhoon crashes about. And out of nowhere, Dante leaps directly out of the tempest, spinning wildly with Rebellion extended outward. As he lands, the slashes his sword quickly, combining all the wind he had just created with the firestorm, sending the tempest right at the raging beast in a concentrated wave. The Chimera does not have time to react. The blazing inferno smashes right into its face, knocking it to the ground.

"My eyes!" The beast howls furiously, as it rolls around on the ground. The surrounding wall of flames falls from the sky in licks of fire. "Bastard!"

"Hey, you kiss you mother with that mouth?" Dante, Lady and Trish all stand over the cowering demon clutching at its bleeding face with its paw. "How 'bout you kiss this!" Dante pulls Ivory from its holster, and all three aim at the Chimera. Just before they fire, the stripes on the tiger-like face begin to glow and arrange themselves into a tribal-like marking, etched in flame upon its forehead.

"My master…will destroy you!" Suddenly, it howls and releases a wave of flames at the trio. They all dodge and when the flames dissipate, the Chimera is gone.

"Scaredy cat!" Dante taunts. He sighs and turns toward Devil Never Cry, walking with a purpose. "Nero! Hey, Nero! Get your ass out here, kid!" Dante bangs on the door. "Nero!"

"Maybe no one's home," Lady ventures.

Dante becomes frustrated and simply kicks down the door. "Nero! Come on out, you little brat! Very funny, siccing the neighborhood pussycat on us! Is that any way to treat your guests?"

"I don't think he's here, Dante." Lady walks into the bathroom and turns off the running water pouring from the facet. "He hasn't been here for a while…" She wipes her finger over the thin coating of dust that had begun to form on a shelf. She strolls over the wooden desk against the back wall and picks up a picture. "Hm, he looks like you, or your brother, back when we first met," she muses, almost wistful.

"Let me see that." Dante snatches the picture from Lady.

"Who's the girl?" Lady asks, referring to the brunette in the picture.

"Hmm, not sure," Dante answers. "It could be the girl he kept screaming about the last time we were here. Her name was even weirder than his though, something like Curry…you know, you'd think I would remember as many times as he yelled it. It looks like she's put on a few pounds..."

"Ugh, she's pregnant, genius!" Lady snatches the picture back from Dante.

"Haha! Oh yeah! Well, well, didn't know the kid had it in him."

"Clearly, this is a dead end, so we should look somewhere else," Trish asserts. "Nero's probably out hunting demons. He may need our help."

"He can take care of himself. Trust me, I taught the kid everything he knows."

"Regardless, we still need to find the source of all these powerful demons we've encountered before it is too late." Trish storms out of the shop, and Dante and Lady follow.

"Yeah, if he learned from Dante, he's going to need all the help he can get," Lady says to no one in particular.

"Whatever. You're just jealous that I beat that chimera thing before you could study it more."

"Jealous of you? Like that will ever happen," Lady retorts sarcastically. "And if I recall, it was still _alive_ when we left."

"Yeah? Well, maybe I left it alive so it would lead us to its master. Didn't expect me to be two steps ahead of the game, huh, Ms. Encyclopedia?"

Trish huffs in exasperation and frustration.

"Trish wait up! Come on, we're just joking around. Don't be such a killjoy."

"No, Dante, you don't understand," Trish snaps as she turns back towards the two. "Wherever this source is, we need to find it and take it down bef—"

Suddenly, Trish is lifted into air violently by a mammoth-sized winged demon that comes out of nowhere. Trish pales in comparison to its enormity; having an elongated ursine head spouting flames, long talons, and a huge red, dragon-like body, this hellish creature thrusts its massive wings, ascending higher into the sky.[2]

Trish screams at the demon to release her, sending bolts of lightning at the beast, but to no avail.

"Trish!" Dante whips out Ebony and Ivory and shoots at the demon carefully, trying not to hit Trish with his blasts of demonic energy. But it had flown too far and too fast. Before either Lady or Dante can think, the flying horror drifts off into the dusk, its mammoth silhouette crossing over the bright moon until it vanishes from sight.

"What the hell was that?"

Lady holsters her guns, "I have no idea, I've never seen anything like it before. It looked too consistent to be a chimera, but I think if it were a normal demon, I would have come across it. Maybe it is just very rare…"

"Well then, since it's already an endangered species..." Dante twirls around his twin guns on either finger and holsters them. He looks up at the moon; its bright glow shines light around the peak of a dark fortress.

"Fortuna Castle it is..."

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[1] Rev. 13:11

[2] Amos 5:19


End file.
